Ethan Walker rode S&W Performance Horses’ Rustic Metal to win both the open 4-year-old working ranch horse and the limited open 4-year-old working ranch horse classes at the AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge held in Rapid City, South Dakota, on July 27.

The red roan stallion earned a combined $2,892.50 for his work. He was bred by Alvin Fults and is by leading sire Metallic Cat and out of the Mister Dual Pep mare Getta Mister, making him a full brother to NCHA-earner Metal Mania ($20,697).

The stallion was purchased from his breeder by Michael and Kim St. Clair as a weanling, along with the 2-year-old The Metallic Patron. Both are among the stallions enhancing the breeding program of the AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeders. Michael and Kim, their daughters and their families, are all involved with horses and/or with cattle, and they have bases in Kahoka, Missouri, and Ludell, Kansas – which requires a lot of horses to work the cattle.

In 2010, the St. Clairs campaigned the Haythorn Ranch-bred Four Bonnie Bay (Figure Four Chex-Bay Bonnie Raindrop by Eddie Eighty) to win the AQHA all-around high-point and the junior all-around high-point, and they continue to enhance their breeding operation. Along with Four Bonnie Bay, they also stand Mamas Jazzy Rey, Boonlight Wilson and Guns Loaded. The St. Clairs sell horses of all ages, from weanling to finished, and are part of the Nebraska Quarter Horse Breeders Sale, which is August 24 in Ogallala, Nebraska.

Some of the first foals by Rustic Metal, whom they call “Rusty,” are in the sale.

Finishing second in the 4-year-old working ranch horse class was Markin This Cat, ridden by Matt Kelly for owner/breeder Wagonhound Land & Livestock LLC. The sorrel mare from the AQHA Best Remuda-winning ranch, is by WR This Cats Smart and out of the Shining Spark mare Shiney Miss Marker. They pulled in $1,087.50 for the placing.

Finishing second in the limited 4-year-old working ranch horse class was Dunn Good Girl, ridden by Troy Brandemuehl. They earned $720 for the placing. Bred and owned by 88 Performance Quarter Horses of Douglas, Wyoming, the mare is by Casino Heist and out of the High Brow Hickory mare Hickory Dickory Lena.

Winning the 5- and 6-year-old working ranch horse class was Shiner Dear Rey and Matt Kelly. The 2014 palomino mare pulled in $1,750 for her victory. Another horse owned and bred by Wagonhound, the mare is by Reys Dual Badger and out of the Shining Spark mare Miss Shiner Dear.

Finishing second was the St. Clairs’ 6-year-old The Metallic Patron (Metallic Cat-Sweet Shorty Lena by Shorty Lena), another red roan stallion ridden by Ethan Walker, owned by S&W Performance horses and bred by Alvin Fults.

Winning the limited 5- and 6-year-old working ranch horse was Garry Watt aboard his own Four Lace (Busy Haidin-Four Roan Lace by Figure Four Fritz), earning $690.

Watt, who is based in Sidney, Nebraska, bought the mare as a yearling in 2015 from Best Remuda-winner Haythorn Land and Cattle Co.

Finishing second was Ryan Cole, aboard SF Shining Light (Boonlight Wilson-Shiners Non Blonde by Silks Shining Spark). The 2013 gelding is owned by Ayden Long and was bred by Michael and Kim St. Clair

Garry Watt and Four Lace also won the cowboy working ranch horse, pulling in an additional $1,440 paycheck.

He was also second with Preferred Pepto (Lenas Lil Boon-Angels Preferred by Preferred Pay), a 2008 red roan stallion bred and owned by Jacelyn Watt.

Jecca Ostrander of Gordon, Nebraska, was first and second in the amateur working ranch horse aboard two homebred horses – winning with BOXO Valentines Cat and second with BOXO Heavens Playboy. Her first-place check was worth $1,150.

BOXO Heavens Leo is a gray son of SNW Heavens King and out of the Playin Strait mare Shootin Little Tiger.

Samantha Jenc and Genuine Partyware (Genuine Masterpiece-Partyware by High Brow Cat) were second in the youth class. The buckskin mare was bred by Wagonhound Land & Livestock and is owned by Kristin Jenc.

SF Shining Light won the limited youth working ranch horse, Level 1 limited youth working ranch horse, youth ranch riding and youth team roping with owner Ayden Long aboard. The horse finished second in the limited 5- and 6-year-old working ranch horse with Ryan Cole riding.

The 5- and 6-year-old winners, Shiner Dear Rey and Matt Kelly, came back to win the open ranch riding class, the largest class of the event. They picked up a check for $375 for that win.

While she was second in the open, Jecca won the amateur ranch riding class with an impressive 77 score aboard BOXO Valentines Cat.

Garry Watt and Four Lace were second.

Jacelyn Watt rode her own Preferred Pepto to win the open barrel race, earning $550, and then the amateur barrel race, earning $525, and then the amateur team roping, earning $600. The horse earlier in the day was second in the cowboy working ranch horse.

Ryan Cole and Justa Nitro Dual (Justa Genuine Jack-HA Nitros Last Tune by Nitro Dual Doc) were the winners of the open team roping, picking up $1,600. The Pitzer Ranch-bred gelding is owned by Bill Befort of Lebanon, Kansas.

Clete Schmidt and Blue Gun Poco (Sabre Blue Gun-Plentyofit Poco by Plentyofit) were second. The gray stallion was bred by 2017 Ranching Heritage Breeder of the Year Crago Cattle Co.

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